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Friday, July 27, 2012

Diane Wing Interview and Giveaway! Author of The True Nature of Tarot

I really enjoyed reviewing Diane's book a few weeks ago, and she was super generous, and is offering a giveaway of her book, and yes, it will be signed!!
I did start this giveaway with the review, and have some entries so far. All entrants had/have to do, is comment on either the review post, or any of the Facebook posts! (I know some of you do not have a Google account)
Diane also answered some questions to put in an interview post, so I will be posting my questions and her answers here!! You can also comment here for your chance in receiving a signed copy of her book!!

1) What got you interested in studying Tarot? When did you start studying Tarot?

My mom had reading parties with tarot readers and astrologers since I was little. She gave me my first tarot deck when I was 9 years old. It always fascinated me that it was possible to derive information from pictures on cards. The more I used the cards, the more I wanted to learn about them. I began formal study in 1986. The more I learn, the more I understand the depth of meaning held within the cards and structure of the tarot, making it a lifelong study and practice.

2) How do you deal with, or have you ever had to deal with, people and stereotypes when they learn that you read Tarot? ( Of course people tend to right away, assume that if you read Tarot cards, you are a "bad witch", or study "black magic", etc etc:) I know even just with my small "dabbling", in iridology, palm reading, Tarot cards, etc, if people came to my house and saw my bookshelf, or a deck of cards, or my bags of crystals, and stones, they acted as if I was able to cast evil spells on them. Not often, but occasionally;)

It’s unfortunate that Hollywood and old beliefs dating back centuries have tarnished the reputation of tarot and other divination tools. There are those I encounter who feel that the practice is evil, but that has diminished over time. More and more people see the value of using these tools as a path to self-awareness, which is the primary use that I recommend. Tarot is ultimately a book of metaphysics, a guide to understanding ourselves, overcoming obstacles, and connecting with Spirit. Spirit is a necessary component of any divination method, since it is the Divine (hence the word “divination”) that is the source of the information, and therefore, inherent in all of this work. Those who feel it is evil are coming from a place of fear. They may have never experienced the positive use of these tools or they may have encountered an unethical practitioner that scared them. The tools themselves are neutral; it is what the practitioner chooses to do with them that can make it for the highest good or to the detriment of the client.

3) I personally believe that a Tarot reader can and should be paid in return for their services, however, I do think a lot of the phone numbers and online Tarot readers, and psychics are a bit selfish, and shouldn't be charging what they do. How do you feel about that, and how much is too much? and where do you draw the line on how to tell when a Tarot reader is just simply somebody trying to make money off of people?

Hotline and online readers are all over the place, and their skill levels vary. I recommend checking out Best American Psychics, who certify all of their readers as accurate and ethical, before putting them on their directory of approved psychics. Keep in mind that those who read for a psychic hotline have to split the fee with the company that hosts them, so the reader does not get all of the money. As far as the cost, this is a specialized skill and readers must open to lots of different types of energies in order to pull the information for the client. Sometimes the energy is really bad and the reader is put at risk by opening to it. If you feel that what you get from a particular reader is what you need and you are benefitting from it, then who can put a price on guidance that inspires you and helps you gain clarity?

4) How can a regular person, (a stay at home for instance), after reading your book, and learning how to read the cards, know for sure she/he is doing this properly? Do you offer any kind of help, further then your website and book? Can they email, call, and ask questions or ask for advice?

To increase confidence, I recommend getting validation for the messages that come through in a reading. That way, you can confirm what an accurate message feels like coming through. I offer live in-depth and basic intuitive group and private tarot classes, both in-person and by phone. Private lessons are scheduled at your convenience and are a great way to really hone your tarot skills and create your unique way of reading the cards. People can always email me with questions through my website at www.forestwitch.com. You can also sign-up for my community and get monthly updates on classes and events, along with transformational articles and my eBook, “How to Release Your Inner Magick.”

5) Is Tarot for everybody? Must you be a special person, or have any knowledge, or powers before you start to learn? I always thought that people, as long as they were not using them for "evil", they would gain a lot from these cards, and could better themselves. Do you agree that everybody could benefit from Tarot reading, or are there some people that just will never get it? If you do agree, how do you help the people who might come to you and say things like, "I can never learn something like this", or "How does a busy mom with a bunch of kids find the time to learn this?" or "I don't have ESP so I will never be good at this". How do you handle those people and is there a way for somebody who has no "special powers", to learn Tarot and begin to become enlightened?

Come to the cards knowing that you have intuitive ability and view them as a tool to assist you in consistently opening to your gifts. Tarot may not be the right tool for certain people. Some prefer a pendulum, others prefer to hold an object and get information that way (psychometry). There are many tools of divination to choose from. Each person is unique in their gifts. I teach an intuitive development course that helps students understand the way information comes through for them and we strengthen that ability during the class. Those interested can check out my events page at www.forestwitch.com/new/events.php for dates and times of upcoming teleclasses you can take from the convenience of your own home.

6) How do you feel about people who would ask you during a reading, or for themselves when reading, questions such as, "Am I getting married or engaged soon?", "Is my baby going to be born healthy?" "Will my husband ever cheat?" "has my boyfriend cheated?", sorry, just random questions, but certainly ones I believe a lot of people would definitely want to know answers to, and I think that can get a little dangerous. What do you think about those types of questions, and what would you say to somebody who thinks they can find the sex of their baby, things like that, if they learn how to read the cards?

These types of questions limit the kind of information that can be derived from the cards, since they are closed-ended (yes/no) questions. It also does not get to the heart of what the concern is. You want a healthy relationship, you want to start a family, etc. To expand the information that comes through, I recommend beginning questions with something like, “Give me a message about…” or “How can I …?” Rather than asking about cheating partners, maybe ask something like, “Give me a message about the nature of my relationship with my husband.” That way, you can see how the relationship can be improved upon. Also, asking a futuristic question like “Will my husband ever cheat” is not useful in that the cards can see what is upcoming based on what has happened up to the time of the reading. Many things could transpire after the reading that could change the course of events that would lead to or away from infidelity. We create our own destiny, so framing your questions in a way that reveals ways for you to improve your situation is the best way to get the most useful information.

GIVEAWAY!!
If you are interested in winning a signed copy of The True Nature of Tarot, please comment below, or comment on the Facebook post with this interview/giveaway link!!
This giveaway ends on Sunday, July 29th at midnight est time:)